Tony Ew, unlike China, democratic countries can have territorial disputes without wrecking relationships, cars,
restaurants and stores, or persist in bullying by force. China should learn from South Korea and Japan how to be civilized. This isn't thousands of years ago.

coolprinceFeb. 24, 2013 - 09:54AM JST
@OssanAmerica, if you know what the Japanese did to China, Korea and many South East Asian countries, including >Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines

Yea I know very well what Imperial Japan did 70 years ago, I also know that's ancient history and irrelevant to today's
world where even gthge Phillipines is supporting Japanese re-armament. Why? Because all of Asia sees China as a threat, not Japan.

Tony EwFeb. 24, 2013 - 09:30AM JST
@OssanAmerica
My beef with Japanese politician at least Noda and Abe that I am following is they talk serious serious intention to >have a good relationship, but the next day or so, you will find somebody somewhere in his government doing things to >poison the atmosphere. Endless replay of same strategy, which leads me to conclude Japan is just talking and not >really willing to do serious negotiation.

I think your above is utterly supported by facts. The fact is, even if you don't like it, South Korea and Japan DO
have good relations even with a dispute. Neither South Korea nor Japan is not on a territorial expansion program
and bullying all their neighbors.

Oh wait, Korea learn the same game too, not negotiable, so since Korea have physical possession of Dokdo, Abe is >actually being treated by S Korea the way he is treating China, forever unwilling to negotiate 'there is nothing to >negotiate' stance.

No you are wrong because in the case of Takeshima/Dokdo, Japan has proposed settling the issue at the ICJ 3 times
and Soth Korea has refused. In the case of the Senkakus, China won't even take their claim to the ICJ.
China got nothing to do with this article so I am surprise your comment was not thrown out.

coolprinceFeb. 24, 2013 - 09:54AM JST @OssanAmerica, if you know what the Japanese did to China, Korea and many South East Asian countries, including >Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines

Yea I know very well what Imperial Japan did 70 years ago, I also know that's ancient history and irrelevant to today's world where even gthge Phillipines is supporting Japanese re-armament. Why? Because all of Asia sees China as a threat, not Japan.

coolprice did a mighty fine analysis, I say a very good job even though you may find it offensive.

" Because all of Asia sees China as a threat, not Japan."
Public opinion can change on a dime once the wool placed over an INATTENTIVE public is suddenly ripped off and the whole world will awaken to who really is the real threat to Asians. China is a victim of poor communication skill, not of factual essence. As I said, China is run by technocrats and they are not good at hoodwinking the public as cleverly as Japanese politicians are. I credit the Japanese politicians for learning the tricks from American politicians! Perhaps Abe learn a new trick while in Washington D.C ?

OssanAmerica: "Yea I know very well what Imperial Japan did 70 years ago, I also know that's ancient history and irrelevant to today's world"

It's as irrelevant as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and like saying the American revolution and Civil War are irrelevant parts of the US's past. They are events that should not ever be forgotten and are applicable in today's world. To suggest something is irrelevant and should be forgotten is one of the things that has led to the current problems.

That said, Abe seems to be expressing some positive sentiment, but he should realize that a good leader leads -- ie. if he wants a good relationship he too needs to work at it and not simply expect it to fall in his lap. We all know what he means when he says, "I hope to have the island issue resolved...", it means he wants it his way or no way at all. There's a problem, though -- because there is no issue, just as Japan says there is no issue with the Senkakus. Dokdo is South Korean. He needs to accept that and stop trying to change Japanese history and THEN those steps would help encourage better relations. Abe saying: "There is no issue with Senkaku. But we recognize the issue with Takeshima. There were no sex slaves, and I'm going to take the apology by a former PM and make it more 'forward thinking'. We hope for cooperation and a better relationship" is tantamount to kicking someone in the face, staring at them baffled at the idea that there's anything wrong with it, and then saying they want a better relationship.

"The fact is, even if you don't like it, South Korea and Japan DO have good relations even with a dispute."

What dispute? The islands are South Korean. They have said there is no dispute -- same as Japan says there's no dispute over Senkakus.

"No you are wrong because in the case of Takeshima/Dokdo, Japan has proposed settling the issue at the ICJ 3 times and Soth Korea has refused."

Why would Korea agree when there is no issue? It's hilarious to watch Japanese and people like yourself defend such a statement by Japan and then suddenly claim Japan's the victim because South Korea makes the same claim with Dokdo. Suddenly in that case it is wrong because 'Japan wants to go to the ICJ', but you and other posters have flat out said that if China challenges Japan's claim to the Senkakus it does not matter because they are Japanese islands, plain and simple. The hypocrisy is amusing, but it's a little bit sad you guys can't see its obviousness. Japan would never, and some have said as much, go to the ICJ even if China proposed it (they don't for the same reason Japan won't -- they believe their claim is indisputable), go to the ICJ over the Senkakus because of this 'no dispute' belief, so why do they think SK should come to the table when said table is reversed? Why is it suddenly SK being 'immature' or such?

Japan has the better claim to the Senkaku islands, and the biggest reason is a long administration of them. SKorea and Russia have the same reason for the better claims to their islands. It's not "this way for one, and the opposite for the other".

The legacy of Hiroshima is peace. Japan must be champion of peace, understanding and this will create enlightenment. Pyongnam Style is not a fun dance... it is a trance dance of destruction... ROK and USA and even China knows this and it is good for Japan to support your friends. Enough WWII already.. lets move on and work together to create a world that is safe.. for our children.. peace is good for business.

N.Korea's nuke test was high on the US agenda, Shinzo Abe's softened stance vis-a-vis S. Korea was strictly in line with endorsement by Uncle Sam...who will never tolerate two allies fighting with each other within the US led camp !

YuriOtani: "I doubt the Republic of Korea will respond well. If they do just before any agreement is signed they will back out as usual."

They don't need to respond at all -- there is no island dispute. Japan knows it. And speaking of backing out of deals, you're bang on about that, just not only with South Korea but with Japan as well ("Trust me! wink").

Japan has a much more powerful claim to Takeshima than China has on the Senkakus in that when the South Koreans grabbed it by force, the Japanese knew about the island and protested it immediately.

In fact, the very manner of the takeover is very indicative that Korea KNOWS that the world has already ruled differently and is shooting for a fait accompli before the San Francisco Treaty gets signed.

Kazuaki Shimazaki, Korea took back what was rightly theirs in the beginning, but which was forcibly grabbed by Japan in 1905. Dokdo is a symbolic figure of Japanese aggression and colonialism to Koreans because it was the first Korean territory that was annexed by Japan right after Japan defeated Russia in the war of 1905 which was fought to control Korea. At that time Koreans protested to the Japanese after they found out the sneaky way Japan tried to pass off the annexation, but to no avail since Korea was so weak and in confused state of governance. By 1910, all of Korea was annexed. If anyone is interested, this site does an excellent job explaining Japan's plans.

smithinjapanFeb. 24, 2013 - 11:42AM JST
"OssanAmerica: "Yea I know very well what Imperial Japan did 70 years ago, I also know that's ancient history and irrelevant to today's world"
It's as irrelevant as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and like saying the American revolution and Civil >War are irrelevant parts of the US's past. They are events that should not ever be forgotten and are applicable in >today's world. To suggest something is irrelevant and should be forgotten is one of the things that has led to the >current problems.

Exactly smith. None of those historical events have any bearing on US-Japan relations today, nor on U.S. domestic
north-south relations.
Note that I did not say "irrelevant to the US' past" as you reworded my statement which was "irrelevant to today's word".
And there is a world of difference between "not forgetting" and harping on it like it was happening right now.
Smith please stop creating your arguments by re-writing what others say.